


Not Much Trouble

by roguebowtie



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The A-Team (TV)
Genre: AU, Alternate Universe - Vietnam, Dialogue Heavy, It's mostly just Coulson and Murdock being dorks, There's Puppy Dogs!, vignetty
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-19
Updated: 2016-03-19
Packaged: 2018-05-27 14:15:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,179
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6287866
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/roguebowtie/pseuds/roguebowtie
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Coulson: Army Ranger, and H.M. Murdock: Pilot, have struck an unlikely friendship in the heat of Vietnam.  There may be puppies involved in their tomfoolery.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Not Much Trouble

**Author's Note:**

  * For [AlyKat](https://archiveofourown.org/users/AlyKat/gifts).



> To you, my dear AlyKat, in hopes of giving you a smile. <3

It started out simply enough. Ranger on leave, doing some mugger hunting and managing to bite off a bit more than he can chew. Enter Medevac pilot, always happy to help out the little guy. The Ranger is of average height, wry humour, and wears a black eye like a badge of honour. The pilot is tall and rangy, easy going like the southerner he is, humour a bit on the weird side.

Oh, and they both really like dogs.

Why do I mention the dogs? Why would dogs be important to this brief look into the life of military men during a conflict far from home? Well, grab something to drink, pull up a piece of carpet, and put your ears on. I promise, it’s worth your time.

If it isn’t, I’ll buy your next drink. Really. No jest. 

* * *

Coulson had found the dog and her pups first, sneaking them barely-edible food from the mess tent and taking their friendly company as his own sort of feel-good medicine in downtime between missions. Getting drunk didn’t hold a whole lot of interest to him; partially because getting drunk wasn’t exactly easy, but mostly because he had a fifty/fifty chance of going Mean Drunk, and with his skills that wasn’t exactly a good idea.

When the pilots came to roost at their ‘base’, he was pleased to see the one he’d made friends with there among them. Well, not entirely among them, but asleep in one of the choppers which, to Coulson, wasn’t unexpected.

It didn’t take too much poking for the soldier to wake the pilot. It didn’t take any at all to get him to follow along to meet the dogs. It took very little discussion for them to bring the pups and momma-dog back to base. They were adopted in quick order by several of the squads, leaving the two that they chose tucked in pocket and on shoulder.

“Well, Billy’s going to be a great co-pilot, what’re you gonna name yours there, kid?”

Coulson just gave him a look at the ‘kid’ comment. Just because he was on the short side and baby-faced didn’t take the few years he had on the pilot. “I don’t know, Murdock. What do you suggest? I was thinking of naming her Peggy.” He lifted the pup off his shoulder. “What do you think, Peggy-pup?” The puppy licked his nose and wagged her little tail in response.

“You’re naming your puppy after your old CO?”

“Sure,” Coulson shrugged. “Why not?”

Murdock scratched his head, and the head of the pup in one oversized flightsuit pocket. “Can’t think of a reason, but that’s no reason for you to grin like you won.”

“I found dogs, you don’t get to have the upper hand, here,” Coulson laughed.

* * *

“Been a while, how’s tricks?”

“All good. Peggy’s turning into quite the little soldier-dog. And you guys?”

“Billy’s the best copilot, hands down - won’t take nobody else.”

“Good, that’s good. How long you on base?”

“Just long enough to sleep and change, wanna take Billy out for a run while I nap here in the Huey?”

“Sure, I bet Peggy’ll be glad to see her little brother.”

“Billy got named first, he’s the big brother.”

“Uh huh.”

* * *

“GO GO GO GO!” Shouted the medic in the chopper once a soldier, protective mutt taking up space beside him, was loaded up into the chopper instead of onto one of the legs.

A slight growl as the medic moved to the man hissing in pain. A sharp bark from the cockpit.

“Kid, I told you I didn’t want to haul your ass around ‘Nam!”

“Sorry, Peggy... missed her little... brother, had to... meet up somehow,” came the strained response.

“Next time send a telegram,” Murdock bit out, swiftly getting them out of the line of fire and back to the closest M.A.S.H. unit.

* * *

“Hard to believe it’s finally over,” Coulson said, sliding into an open spot on the transport, Peggy moving to sit on his feet and lick all over Billy’s face as the dog at Murdock’s feet licked back in happy hello.

Murdock gave a slightly hysterical laugh. “Yep. Over. Glad it’s done. What’re you going to do with your free time?”

“I don’t know. I might re-up. Might try civilian life. Where you headed?”

“Dunno yet. Somewhere fun and bright shiny yellow sun filled. But not Texas. Maybe California. With all those celebrities. Be a personal pilot. Stunt pilot! Stunt puppy pilot,” he chuckled. “For Juicy Fruit.”

Coulson shook his head, bumping shoulders with Murdock. “Sounds fun. Maybe I’ll go into acting so I can run into you sometimes.”

“Don’t do that, you could hurt yourself, Kid.”

“I’ll try not to knock you down.”

 * * *

“Anybody coming?” Murdock whispered. “Phil, do you see someone coming?”

“Nobody coming. You said your team needed you ASAP?”

“Yeah, glad you came. Heheh, came. Don’t come yet, we have to drive before we fly. You got Billy?”

“Yup, he’s with Peggy in the car.”

“Excellentemente!” Murdock pointed, striking a heroic pose. “Let us away!”

Phil grinned, shaking his head. “We have about two minutes before they know you’re gone, shush!”

“I will not sush, you peasant child. I am the king of this story.”

“Does that make me the queen?”

“Well....” Murdock made a wishy washy motion with his hand. “If the tiara fits?”

* * *

“You know, when you said your team needed you, this isn’t quite what I imagined.”

Murdock grinned while they watched their dogs bounce around the giant yard of a house Face had procured for the weekend. Hannibal was off to the side with his ever present cigar, seated in a lawn chair with a script. B.A. was throwing a stick for the dogs who alternately fetched and ignored the game in favor of climbing all over him and ‘pushing’ him into the grass.

Face came out and put an arm around Murdock. “Hey, it’s a birthday party - you can’t have a birthday party without the birthday boy.”

“It’s your birthday?” Coulson half glared at him.

“Yep, Philly the Kid - Whatcha get me?”

“I broke you out, does that count?”

“Newp!” Murdock poked him in the cheek. “C’monnnn. I can’t believe you forgot it was my birthday!”

“You never told me your birthday!” He protested.

“Not an excuse!”

Phil shoved his hands in his pockets with a put-upon sigh, then pulled out a pack of gum, one stick missing. “Juicy Fruit?”

“Awww! You shouldn’t have! For me? You remembered!”

Face laughed at the look on Coulson, a combination of confused and amused. “I’m magical like that.”

“Shhhh. It’s a secret, remember?”

“You’re magical?” Face asked, eyebrows raised.

“Yes, my superpower is finding puppies.”

“Best superpower ever,” Murdock nodded, happily chomping down on a stick of gum.

* * *

And that, dear friends, is the end of our tale.  If you want any more, you can sing it, yourself!  No really, I'm sure there's a song somewhere about it, and if there isn't - and you tell dear Murdock - he'll be sure to sing you one anyhow.

**Author's Note:**

> The Coulson and Murdock portrayed in this fic are directly descended from the ones we play in RP sometimes. They are ridiculous and well matched for their sanity levels, for the most part. Hope you enjoyed! 
> 
> (This is only vaguely beta'd, any glaring errors are entirely mine and will hopefully be expunged once I give this a re-read at not crazy-o-clock at night! :))


End file.
